A law was passed by the Wyoming legislature to protect federal workers from the state’s ban on the use of “preferred adjectives.” However, Republican Governor The act became law by proxy because Mark Gordon refused to sign it.
The condition and its political divisions are prohibited from requiring the use of recommended adjectives under the law SF 077, or” Driven Speech Is Not Free Speech.” It prevents the state from requiring preferred pronouns for “employment or contracting,” “receiving a offer, product, force, deal, license, or another benefit,” or” under threat of negative action,” including but not limited to an exclusion, sanction, or punishment for employment or exclusion.
In the state Senate ( 25-7, with one excuse ), and the House ( 25-7, with one excuse ), the bill was passed by a sizable majority earlier this month. It is scheduled to go into effect on July 1.
The entered act was approved on February 24 by Democratic state senator Bo Biteman and state house speaker Chip Neiman. The governor’s bill becomes law without his name, according to the state government site, “if it is not signed by him and is never returned within three weeks.” On February 27, Gordon wrote to Biteman to promise to pass the bill without signing it.  ,
Michael Pearlman, Gordon’s contacts director, gave The Federalist access to the text. Gordon refers to the policy as” a answer in search of a problem” in it. He reaffirmed that “wyoming governments should not problem” employment or other activities on “requirements to completely participate in certain kinds of speech” and that the state does not “retaliate against employees if they don’t adhere to strict free speech laws.”
” Luckily, to the best of my knowledge, Wyoming social divisions are not engaging in such procedures, and any attempt would probably face legal problems,” Gordon wrote. Instead of addressing a pressing policy issue, I must draw the conclusion that this bill is intended to convey a public’s opinion of gender and the use of preferred pronouns.
Gordon claimed the free speech protections could lead to” a vastly expanded legal code” and “excess regulation,” while claiming the law was” good intent to prevent undue mandates on individuals ‘ freedom of speech” and passed with “overwhelming” majority.
In the past, Gordon has also opposed other laws that promote a radical gender perspective. In order to stop men who believe they are women from competing in women’s sports, Gordon removed and resigned from his position as a radioologist from the state board of medicine. He also refused to sign a bill to prevent them from doing so in 2023.
However, the conservative legal group Alliance Defending Freedom praised SF 077 as upholding” sincerely held beliefs”. The group applauded the state legislature for passing the law, including Republican state senator Lynn Hutchings, who is the bill’s senate sponsor.
No one should lose their jobs or face punishment at work for refusing to say something that they believe to be false, said ADF Center for Public Policy Director Matt Sharp in a statement.
” In no world is it acceptable for the government to appoint good teachers or other public servants just to advance gender ideology.” Wyoming is, to be fair, stepping into the vacuum to defend the freedom of conscience with this legislation, Sharp said. The freedom to express opinions contrary to one’s core beliefs is included in freedom of speech and religion, and protecting these fundamental pillars of freedom benefits everyone in society.
Logan Washburn is a staff writer who writes about election ethics. He is a The College Fix spring 2025 fellow. He received his journalism from Hillsdale College, worked as Christopher Rufo’s editorial assistant, and has appeared in publications like The Wall Street Journal, The Tennessean, and The Daily Caller. Logan grew up in rural Michigan and is from Central Oregon.
